A Kinematic Analysis of the Fouetté Rond de Jambe en Tournant / Karen Ferry (2020)

The fouetté rond de jambe en tournant (fouetté turn) is one of the most complex movements in the classical ballet technical repertoire. There has been limited scientific research conducted on the fouetté turn and as a result, the mechanics of the movement are only superficially understood. The aim of this research was to investigate specific kinematic variables of the turn to provide a more cohesive understanding of the movement and determine whether the actuality of the performance reflected the current schema of classical ballet technique.

Three-dimensional motion capture data was collected from eight participants turning both clockwise and anti-clockwise using a Qualisys motion capture system. Five variables of the turn were analysed for this study: (a) the adjustment mechanism of the supporting leg during the relevé and plié actions; (b) the deviation vector of the centre of mass (COM) trajectory in different phases of the turn; (c) the head-trunk dissociation during the spotting motion; (d) the degree of symmetry of the arm placement in first position during rotation; and (e) the relationship between the working leg extension height and anterior-posterior COM shift.

(a) A significant, moderate positive correlation was found between supporting foot elevation and base of support horizontal shift during both the plié and relevé actions (p < .001), indicating a postural adjustment mechanism involving the replacement of the base of support under the COM. (b) There was a significant difference in COM deviation between the different phases of the turn (p < .001). Post-hoc analysis showed significant decreases in COM deviation post-swing phase and significant increases pre-swing phase which highlighted the working leg and arms as important contributors to COM deviation throughout the turn. (c) There was a significant difference in head and trunk rotation time (p < .001) which showed that the dancers were implementing the spotting action effectively. The head-trunk dissociation was greater post-whip, implying visual fixation techniques were utilised by the dancers to abate dizziness. (d) There was a significant difference in the elbow angle of the arms when placed in first position (p < .05), showing a lack of symmetry in placement and that the dancers were not effectively utilising the trail arm for the generation of angular momentum. (e) There was no significant relationship between working leg extension angle and COM anterior-posterior shift which disputed the reasoning behind a technical instruction that suggested a lower extension height would cause an anterior shift. This study provides a foundation on which future, more detailed research on the fouetté turn can be built. This importance of the spotting action in ballet rotation was elucidated by highlighting the characteristics of the head during the movement. The efficiency of the arms were found to have an important impact on the success of the turn and the analysis of turn phases showed a disparity between classical instruction and the true motion of the working leg. The leg is extended further croisé as opposed to directly devant during the swing phase. The actuality of technique in the fouetté turn differs from the schema of classical ballet technique and it is recommended that ballet syllabi be updated to include more current technical instruction.